Judge to Hear Oklahoma Ultrasound Law Today

A district judge will begin to hear arguments today regarding a recent Oklahoma law requiring that all women must obtain an ultrasound prior to having an abortion, and must listen to detailed descriptions of the fetus. The law, which was vetoed by the governor but overridden by the state legislature, has been blocked since the day it was enacted.

Lawmakers passed the bill last March, but Gov. Brad Henry vetoed it and said it was unconstitutional.

In April, the Oklahoma Legislature overrode Henry’s decision, causing the Center for Reproductive Rights in New York to step in. The group said the Legislature was aggressively stripping away a woman’s privacy rights.

“This signals the beginning of another costly and possibly futile legal battle for the state of Oklahoma,” Henry said after his veto was overridden.

In May, a judge temporarily blocked the law, leading to Monday’s hearing. There was no immediate word how long the temporary block will continue or when the judge might rule.